I Won't Let You Lie To Yourself
by raaaaaaek
Summary: Narcissa has noticed that Lucius has taken a sudden interest in her. It's Valentine's Day in the castle. Will she finally join the countless teenage couples in celebrating the day?
1. Chapter 1

Narcissa had awoken early on a Saturday morning in the Hogwarts Castle. It wasn't just any normal Saturday around the castle. Today was February 14th. Valentine's day. Narcissa was usually neutral to these sorts of holidays. She had never been one for romance, mainly because she had never been involved with anyone before. This year was different. This year she had noticed a certain set of ice blue eyes settling on her longer than normal. He was a sixth year and to tell the truth, he intimidated her. She was no stranger to being the youngest in a crowd due to her sister dragging her along with a bunch of older kids, but this was different. None of them made her cheeks heat up and redden just by saying her name or from a simple glance. It didn't take long for Bella to catch on to the silent romance that was unfolding between Narcissa and Lucius and had been giving her sister a hard time ever since. She had made it clear that she didn't like nor did she approve of Lucius, but she couldn't do much about it. Their families had already agreed upon an arranged marriage between the two.

Surprisingly, Narcissa didn't mind. She had known from her younger years that her family was big about keeping their blood pure. Her sister was to marry a charismatic boy that had been involved with their tight-knit group of Slytherins for quite a while – Rodolphus Lestrange. Bellatrix had shown little inclination towards him romantically. But she too knew what was good for her. He was another pure-blood. Strong. Smart. Powerful. Just as Lucius was. Bella always said love was for the weak. Narcissa felt sorry for her sister. As of late she had been growing colder, meaner. Narcissa didn't like it, and she couldn't get Bellatrix to open up as to why the sudden changes were happening. She chalked it up to the fact that she was soon to be married to Rodolphus once they had both left Hogwarts.

It was a particularly nice morning, which was surprising. The sun was fighting through the clouds to shine over the grounds and through the windows as Narcissa walked down the stairs to the Great Hall for breakfast. Romance was definitely in the air, couples were already starting to spread out throughout the castle. Narcissa smiled to herself as she entered the Great Hall with thoughts of perhaps spending the day with Lucius. Just the two of them. Nobody else around to interrupt their conversation, not that they had really had one as of yet. But with all the love wafting in the air, Narcissa couldn't help but to become infected.

She sat down in her usual spot around the usual group of Slytherins. Lucius and Evan were in hushed conversation across the table and Rodolphus was diving hungrily into his breakfast, not giving him enough time to breathe even if he wanted to enter the conversation happening across from him. Narcissa had thoughtfully left a space to her right, in-between her and Rodolphus, noticing that her sister Bellatrix was missing at the table. It didn't take long for the boys to realize her presence and drop all conversation. That had been happening a lot lately. She had been being included less and less in the whispers and outings of the group. She was usually invited or pulled along by her sister whether she was willing or not, but she wasn't going to let that bother her today.

Lucius smiled as she reached across the table for pumpkin juice, which was just out of her reach. His pale hand reached in the same direction as her's and successfully grasped the pitcher and held it out to her. "Looking lovely as always, Narcissa," he said, his ice blue eyes grabbing her own blue orbs in a hypnotizing trance. She took the pitcher from him, her hand brushing against his for a short moment in the exchange, and her cheeks reddened instantly. She smiled bashfully and tore her eyes away from him as she poured herself a glass of juice. "Thank you, Lucius," she replied, not daring to look at him although she could still feel him looking at her. She took a drink and placed the glass down, clearing her throat. "So, what do you have planned fo-"

"Morning, Cissy," a voice hissed joyfully in her ear. She turned her head to her left and saw the pale faced Bellatrix smiling at her.

"Morning," Narcissa replied less enthusiastically than she knew her sister would have liked. She glanced over at Lucius with an apologetic look, only to see he had resumed his conversation with Evan.

Bellatrix had been studying her sister carefully as of late, and this morning was no excuse. She saw this hopeful glance with a look of apology that she knew was for her own presence. Ever since Lucius started paying more attention than usual to Narcissa, it seemed as if she wanted her older sister around less and less. She had just opened her mouth to speak, but this was interrupted by Rodolphus.

"Happy Valentine's Day, darling," he purred, leaning over the space that Narcissa had left for Bellatrix and behind Narcissa to get to his intended.

"Yes, well. That's lovely." She sounded bored and rolled her eyes as she spoke, refusing to turn and look at him. She dismissed him immediately and began to put food on her plate and eat her breakfast, although her appetite had significantly dropped after that little sad show.

Narcissa turned to her sister with a look of disapproval. "What has gotten into you lately, Bella?" she asked quietly. "He's just trying to be nice. You should really try that sometime."

"If you haven't noticed, being nice will get you nowhere, Cissy. Anyway, I have much more important things to tend to and that leaves me no time for him and his foolishness."

"Foolishness!" she quietly exlaimed. "He is to be your husband! The least you could do is give him a chance, Bella. Especially when he's trying! You might actually end up, oh I don't know, liking him! Crazy, I know." A teasing smirk had appeared upon Narcissa's lips.

"Oh, shut up Cissy," Bellatrix huffed, playfully hitting her sister's shoulder with her own. Her eyes shot sideways and lingered upon her sister's face for a moment before she turned her attention back to her breakfast.

All was pretty much silent between the friends as they ate, Bellatrix had killed the jolly mood as always. That was something that she had become quite good at.

Suddenly Evan and Lucius rose from the table.

"Where are you two off to?" Bellatrix asked. She had also taken a liking to being a nosy nancy. She always had to know everything, whether it included her or not. If it didn't include her, she would find a way to get herself involved.

"We have some business to attend to. Elsewhere. That is all, Bella," Lucius said mechanically. He had gotten used to Bella's incessant prodding and although it annoyed him sometimes, he knew better than to cross the testy witch. He was quite fond of all his appendages and would like to keep them. All of them.

"Rodolphus, you coming?"

He immediately shot up from the table as if he was intently waiting to hear his name called from either of the boys. Rodolphus couldn't deny that he was thankful to be invited. He had been dying for a reason to leave the table without causing a fight between him and Bellatrix from the second he had been shot down. Another blow to his ego, and to his hopeful heart.

"Absolutely," he replied, taking one last sip of his juice. He took a few steps and stopped, facing Bella's back, looking down at her.

Narcissa's hand shot sideways after a silent moment and she hit Bella's upper arm.

"Ow, you twit!" She looked over at Narcissa, who was looking at her imploringly as both Lucius and Evan looked down at her from across the table, obviously waiting to leave. "Bloody hell, Cissy," she hissed, rolling her eyes. Narcissa did not back down.

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes and glared sideways at her sister, and then came the sigh of defeat. "Alright, fine. Fine."

She picked up her cloth napkin and pressed it to her lips a few times before singing her legs around so that her back was now pressed against the edge of the table. She didn't look at Rodolphus directly at first, but forced herself to look at his face after a moment. Their eyes met and although he had a cold and detached look upon his face, his eyes gave way to what was truly happening – his heart slowly breaking, cupped in the bony hands of Bellatrix Black.

"Yes?" she asked. Her voice was cool and almost professional sounding, as if they were carrying on some business transaction.

He simply looked at her for a moment before bending down so his face was level with hers. He paused and then went in to place a kiss upon her lips, but her head jerked sideways so that his lips met her cheek instead. After lingering for a few seconds, he slightly pulled away and audibly sighed before straightening up, the others looking at him all with sorry expressions written all over their faces.

He cleared his throat and looked upon Bella once more. "I guess I'll, uh... see you... later on..." he trailed off and quickly headed towards the doors of the Great Hall – salvation – desperate to get out of that uncomfortable situation.

Bellatrix shot back around so she was facing the table once more and silently got back to her breakfast once more without saying a word. It was as if nothing had ever happened.

"Goodbye Narcissa," Lucius said, finally shaking off the scene they had all witnessed and being the first that dared to speak. He flashed her a smile and a wink before he and Evan followed Rodolphus out of the hall.

"Honestly, Bella. You're breaking his heart. Will you please just give the poor boy a chance?"

Bellatrix dropped her fork with a loud clatter onto her plate and slammed her fist hard onto the wooden table. Narcissa jumped at her sudden outburst. She hated when Bellatrix was testy, and especially when she was angry with her. But she had grown up with this, her sister – the ticking time bomb.

Bellatrix sighed and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she was much calmer. She turned to face Narcissa who was now obviously ignoring her and taking a heavy interest in her breakfast.

"I'm sorry, Cissy," she said quietly. Sincerely. "But you're young, you haven't figured out how this all works." Narcissa continued to be much more interested with the food on her plate, showing no signs of even having heard Bella speak, but Bellatrix continued on. "Our families are all pure-bloods, and will remain so. That's what this is about. Blood status. It isn't about romance and it definitely isn't about love. Once in a great while there is that perfect match, I'm sure, where the intendeds fall lucky in love. But nobody is that lucky, really." There was a moment of silence as Bellatrix looked sadly upon her little sister. She knew this day would come, but she still hated having to be the one to teach her sister this lesson and shatter any naivety left within her. "Not mommy. Not me," she went on, getting up from the table. "Not even you."

She looked down at Narcissa once more and kissed the top of her sister's head. Without another word she set off out of the Great Hall, curious to see what sort of business Lucius had been talking about.


	2. Chapter 2

Narcissa had taken her time finishing up at breakfast. Bella's words looped over and over in her mind, she found it impossible to think about anything else. Why would Bella say such a thing and hurt her like that? She always thought that things were different between her and Bellatrix. Bella was not only her sister, but her best friend. It was no secret that Bellatrix was hard to understand. Layered. Complex. But she trusted Narcissa. Confided in her, even. She had never said things to hurt Narcissa before. Not like that.

And it surely couldn't be true. Love wasn't unattainable. Just because Bellatrix was to be married to a man that didn't suit her fancy didn't mean it was impossible for her to be happy. Bella's unwanted fate was looming over her, getting nearer every day. She was so unhappy that she couldn't bear to see anyone around her anything less than miserable. That was the only thing left for her to enjoy. Instilling misery in those around her, not sparing anyone in her path. Yes, that was the cause for what she had said. There could be no other explanation.

By the time she had decided to head back to the common room, the Great Hall was practically bare. There were a few people here and there, but once she exited the hall there was no shortage of students. Couples. The sight of them made her heart sigh. To be honest, she was green with envy. She would give anything to be among the masses, hiding away in a corner of a corridor with Lucius. She was so desperate to hear those three words escape his lips, to feel his arms wrapped around her and his lips tenderly pressed against her own. She wanted to be with him and hear everything she had dreamed he would say to her. She would give anything to finally be with him and to be able to look him in the eyes without nervously shying away, her cheeks red and heated. Maybe that would happen. Someday. But not today. It seemed that everyone but her had some sort of "business to attend to." Not that it was particularly troublesome today. After the scene at breakfast, she wasn't feeling too social.

* * *

Back in the Slytherin common room, Bellatrix had finally gotten Rodolphus off of her back and Lucius alone.

"Can I ask you something, Lucius?" Bellatrix asked coolly, seated in a chair by the burning fireplace across from Lucius.

"Now Bella, I'm sure whatever I say isn't going to stop you from asking anyway," he replied, a smug grin spread across his thin, pale pink lips.

"What do you think you're doing with her? To her? You have her wrapped around your little finger and you've said what... five, ten words to her?"

"You have no idea what you're talking about Bel-"

"YOU have no idea what YOU'RE doing. She is my sister and I know more than you think. And I'm telling you that you better inform her of your intentions soon or I swear to you, Lucius. I will make your life a living hell." Her temper was nothing to mess with, especially today. And in matters that involved Narcissa and her feelings were never a light, joking matter with her.

Her hushed burst of anger had wiped the smirk clean off his face. He knew she wasn't kidding. She had always been protective over her beloved Narcissa. But then again, he couldn't say that he had been aware of the extent of Narcissa's fawning.

"Bella, I promise to you that I have no intention to harm your sister. She is to be my wife and we are to carry on the purity of our respective families. She is a lovely young girl and I respect her."

What he had said was not untrue, but had most definitely been prompted by Bella's threat.

She smiled that evilly sweet smile of hers. It always appeared after she got what she wanted.

"I feel that I should stress that she is my sister. Very precious to me. I will always be there, Lucius. Watching. Protecting. Ready to strike. She is smart, but so very naïve. And if you ever take advantage of her, I will know. She has seen you studying her, sizing her up, and now believes that she has at last caught your eye. And in turn, you have caught her heart. Now I am not telling you to love her, not like she loves you. You and I have never been blinded by foolishness. We see things for what they are. We know the truth. I am telling you, however, to be extremely careful with her. And with her heart."

Her voice softened as she spoke about her sister – her only true and loyal friend. But she snapped out of that quickly.

"And this better be the last time I have to speak with you about this."

"I understand, Bella," he said quietly, nodding.

"Good, good," she said with a satisfied sigh just as Narcissa walked into the common room. Both heads turned to see her enter and look up in surprise to see them sitting there together.

Bellatrix offered a hopeful smile and the light had returned to her dark orbs upon Narcissa's entrance. She had hoped that Narcissa had accepted what she said earlier and was no longer angry, but there was no such luck. Narcissa lingered for a moment but stomped angrily through the passageway to the girl's dorms.

"Leave me," Bellatrix bellowed and Lucius immediately got up and left the common room altogether without another word.

* * *

Narcissa could tell that she had interrupted a conversation that was about her – the way their heads shot to stare at her once she entered the room gave it all away. Her sister could not just leave things alone and let her handle it by herself. She always thought she was helping by sticking her nose into Narcissa's business. Did she ever stop to think that maybe her helping hand wasn't as helpful as she thought? Or that maybe Narcissa didn't want it? Of course not. And now she went and ruined it all with Lucius. She would never be able to look him in the face again. Her life was over. She was doomed.

Narcissa entered the dorm she shared with four other Slytherin girls in her year and closed her eyes, wanting to forget entirely about this day already. She walked straight ahead to her bed and flopped down on it face first. What she hit wasn't the soft cloth of her comforter. She lifted her head and opened her eyes to a sea of red. The scent she was taking in was unbelievable. She sat upright to find her bed covered in rose petals and on her pillow, a single long-stemmed rose. Her face lit up like a kid's on Christmas. She reached over to grab the rose and saw that underneath it, covered in rose petals, was an envelope.

She opened the envelope and took out a letter, the front page covered in beautiful calligraphy.

_Dearest Narcissa,_

_You are the apple of my eye. You are the prize jewel among a sea of worthless stones. Your beautiful smile and infectious laugh set fire to my heart, to my very soul. I want nothing more than to live the rest of my life with you and shower you with the riches you deserve. You are my queen. I live to serve you. My love, I bring to you a game. A Valentine's scavenger hunt that will lead you to your mystery Valentine in the end. I cannot wait to hold you in my arms at last. The first clue is in the envelope. I will see you soon, my darling. _

_ Forever Yours_

Narcissa stared at the letter in awe for minutes after she had finished reading it. This felt like a dream. She was sitting on her bed, surrounded by rose petals, clutching a letter in which her mystery love had professed their love for her. And now she was going on a Valentine's scavenger hunt. It was the most romantic thing that could have ever happened to her.

She grabbed the envelope and hopped off of the bed, running out of the dorm. She reached the common room to find Bellatrix alone, still seated by the fire. This time she didn't look up when Narcissa came into the room.

"You were wrong, Bella," she said, making no effort to hide the smile on her face.

Bellatrix still did not look up from the spot on the floor that she was staring at. Narcissa walked over to the chair, the envelope clutched to her stomach with one hand and the letter in the other.

"Bella, did you hear me? Look! Look what I found in my room!" She waved the letter in her sister's face to get her attention. Bellatrix snapped out of her trance and looked up at her sister, snatching the letter from her hand and running her eyes down the length of it.

"What is this?" she asked, sounding a bit bored.

"What is it!" Narcissa took the letter back. "Why, it's the most romantic letter ever written! He covered my bed in rose petals and set a rose on my pillow and gave me this _beautiful_ letter and now he's sending me on a Valentine's Day scavenger hunt! He finally did it, Bella. He loves me! Oh, Bella I can't believe he's done something like this!" She twirled around and fell back, landing in the chair that Lucius had been occupying the last time she was in the common room.

"Who? Who are you talking about? What is this nonsense?" she asked, sitting up straight in the chair.

"Lucius, Bellatrix. Lucius! I've never had such lovely things said about me. Oh, I can't believe this is happening to me. To me!" She paused and the smile that was on her face left in a second's notice. "Wait a minute. You didn't tell him to do this, did you? What were you saying to him when I came into the common room? Bella, you didn't."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Narcissa. Do you honestly think I would bother to tell anyone to set up such foolishness on a silly day like today?" she shot back, the tip of her wand now pressing into her temple.

"I swear, Bella if you told him to do this I will never ever forgive you," she threatened, knowing that the one thing that killed her sister the most was when she was angry with her. "I'm serious. This better not be a joke, either." Her eyes bore into Bella's face, searching to see if she was lying to her or not. She could find no hint of the usual look she was given when being told a lie.

"Alright. I'm sorry. But you can't blame me. Seriously Bella, can you believe this?" Her eyes caught a look at the watch on her wrist. "I have to go," she said, holding up the envelope for Bellatrix to see. "He's set up a scavenger hunt. Honestly. How romantic!" She smiled the biggest smile she could at Bellatrix before standing up from the chair. She paused from leaving the common room for a moment, looking down curiously at her sister.

"Do you... I mean... well would you like to come?" she asked. Narcissa knew that somewhere deep inside it was hurting Bellatrix to be alone on this day. There was no way that some sort of pain wasn't present. And she hated when her sister was unhappy. It made her unhappy.

Bellatrix replied with a snort. "Honestly, Cissy?"

Narcissa rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she muttered, turning away from her sister to exit the common room. Her hand reached into the envelope to retrieve the first clue. She couldn't wait to see what was in store for her.


End file.
